Noise and heat emitted from electronic components are two major issues that affect electronic equipment, particularly in the fields of computing and information technology (IT). Computing and IT equipment, including electronic devices such as general computers, mainframe servers, networking electronics, communications devices and the like, are generally enclosed in designated spaces such as IT rooms or closets, also referred to as data centers. In most instances, these devices are organized into what is known interchangeably as electronic equipment racks or frames. Electronic equipment racks are standardized enclosures having a front door and a back door designed for mounting multiple equipment modules. Each module is fixedly fastened to the rack. Depending on the specific application, a single electronic device (e.g. a server), or numerous ones, may be mounted onto each module. Several equipment racks adjacent to each other are typically arranged in rows in an enclosed data center. The recent advent of more powerful electronic devices in smaller sizes and higher power loads has resulted in data centers (or even individual racks) that generate large amounts of heat. Excessive heat negatively affects computing and IT equipment performance, reliability, life expectancy, and may even cause fatal failure. One solution for alleviating the accumulation of heat in conventional data centers has been to cool the electronic equipment by circulating cool air blown by fans and/or air conditioning units. The addition of these air moving devices generates acoustical noise (hereafter “noise”). Growing environmental concerns and recognition that lengthy and unprotected exposure to high levels of noise can be detrimental to people have resulted in strict requirements to reduce electronic equipment noise.
Conventional noise attenuating systems generally require large operating spaces. Since data center space is scarce and expensive, if users desire to enhance the cooling efficiency of electronic equipment enclosures such as racks in data centers, it can only be done at the expense of sacrificing acoustical solutions. For example, the installation of heat removing solutions such as a rear door heat exchanger or the like can only be done by eliminating an acoustical cover. Moreover, if noise attenuating solutions are needed in places where excessive noise exists, bulky noise reducing solutions (e.g., acoustical covers) may be impossible to be installed due to lack of space.